


Give Me Rain

by Coffee_Forever1



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's
Genre: AND MORE FUCKING C A T S, Angst, Angst I guess, Antinomy is just trying to exist, Antinomy is socially awkward, Antinomy needs fucking GLASSES LEGIT, Antinomy not wanting to admit he probably has one too, Bruno and cats make life better, Bruno is trying to exist, Bruno like kids, Bruno wants to adopt the father kitten Kiryu and his kids, Cats, Depression, Eating Disorders, Ex vs Boyfriend, Feels, Get his blind ass some glasses please-, Johnny has a cat plush addiction, Kiryu and Bruno having deep convos, Kiryu headcanon that he has ADHD, Kiryu is recovering from an ED, M/M, Past Abuse, Past Child Abuse, Toolshipping - Freeform, and other things, bruno has DID, bruno has like 5 cats and Yusei is just like WHY, bruno is trying his best, did, equally salty antinomy, help him please, help him someone please-, meltdowns, mentions of self harm, no beta we die like men, oops-, past treasonshipping, regentshipping is there just gotta pull it out of my ass somewhere, salty ass kiryu, slight betrayalshipping, trigger warnings will be given before I start the chapter so you know, unclear antinomy/z-one, yusei just doesnt want Bruno and Kiryu to cat fight
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-03
Updated: 2020-10-29
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:08:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 13,890
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26787199
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Coffee_Forever1/pseuds/Coffee_Forever1
Summary: Based on a friend's comment of, "How would Bruno react if Yusei told him he learned almost everything he knows about mechanics from Kiryu." And Bruno being the puppy he is, begs for Yusei to take him to meet Kiryu so he can ask him about how he knows so much.But I decided to take it my own way.Gay elder this is for you lmao. This is your damn credit.WARNING: There will be triggering content in this fanfic, warnings will be given at the beginning of the chapter.
Relationships: Bruno | Antimony/Z-ONE, Bruno | Antinomy/Fudou Yuusei, Bruno | Antinomy/Kiryuu Kyousuke, Fudou Yuusei/Kiryuu Kyousuke, Jack Atlas/Kiryuu Kyousuke
Comments: 5
Kudos: 12





	1. The Idea

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Infernity_Rose](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Infernity_Rose/gifts).



"Yusei! Yusei! Yusei! Can we PLEASE go see Kiryu?! I wanna ask him SO many things about what he likes building and if he can teach me anything! Please?! Pretty please?!"

The bluenette was practically begging him at this point. Ever since Yusei revealed that he learned almost everything he knew about mechanics from Kiryu, he has been wanting to meet this "Kiryu" person. He constantly pesters and annoys the golden raven-haired male on the daily about it. But the other would always simply say, "I'm not sure that's a good idea. We should leave him be. And you know how you get with new people."

Today, he wasn't having that. He wasn't going to stand around and pass up such an important opportunity to meet another potentially interesting person. It was rare seeing someone that was really interesting in mechanic, engineering, and coding. As it is, he had to deal with Crow and Jack and while it was nice knowing them, they weren't very close. 

"Yusei, I'm practically BEGGING you. Either you take me to go see him or I will find him on my own." 

He was trying to seem as stern as possible so the other would take him seriously but unfortunately, that just wasn't his strong suit. He just wasn't that very intimidating or convincing. No matter what, other people would brush off his comments and say he was just joking or he wouldn't. He was fed up with that. He didn't need to be babied or taken care of because of his condition. 

"Bruno, I can't let you just go wander off into the middle of nowhere. I don't know how you and Kiryu are going to do together. Kiryu isn't in the best of shapes at the moment. Besides, he probably has his hands full with all the responsibilities at the moment. Us being there might make it difficult. He can't juggle all these things at once."

Yusei sighed softly. Setting down his tools, he looked at the bluenette. He didn't want to admit it, but while he was right about one thing, he lied in others. Bruno has DID. While it wasn't severe or as scary people see in those horror films, he did get easily set off at times. As far as they knew, Bruno had three alters, one named Johnny and the other named Antinomy. The other didn't really have a name but Bruno often referred to him as Red. 

Antinomy was calm and stoic. Cold and pragmatic. He read people easily and could tell a person's true intention with just seeing them for a couple of seconds. He was somewhat tense and often unintentionally rude and blunt without trying to. He was just doing everything he could to protect and guard Bruno.

Then there was Johnny. He seemed like a mix of Bruno and Antinomy but anybody that met him could have sworn they could feel an odd aura around him. He was sweeter and more energetic than Bruno and was often having to be peeled off of people for being the reincarnation of a puppy. If he wasn't trying to be a cuddly idiot, he was just staring at you. He often glared at people and if you seemed suspicious, he would follow you. 

Finally, there was "Red". He never really appeared much. If anything, Bruno oftentimes forgot about him himself but often is reminded of their existence when Yusei would be more cautious around him after a feeling of amnesia. But he was always finding himself seeing journal writings with Red's charge of the body. His handwriting was probably the worst of them all but god, it was violent. He didn't really know much about them but when he is about to get into a physical scuffle and about to get hit, Red takes over.

With the other two, he was somewhat conscious. He could kinda see what they did and hear what they said. But with Red, it was like he fell asleep and woke up.

And there was Kiryu. His old friend has ADHD and depression whether he wants to admit or not. Which kinda lead to his journey of getting into mechanics and showing Yusei his discoveries and such. Seeing how he was last time he visited him in Crash Town, he would rather give him some more time to heal.

He was just conflicted on whether he should let the two of them meet. He was scared that Bruno might set Kiryu off or the other way around. Considering Kiryu may be more laid back, Yusei knew about Bruno's alters and was a bit worried that Antinomy might think of Kiryu as a threat. Or that Johnny might scare or creep him out by following him and giving a smile like nothing is happening. Or maybe trample him with hugs and affection.

He just didn't know how to make them work out. He knew how much Bruno wanted to go meet Kiryu and he didn't want to deny him the chance to meet him but he was just in a fight as to whether it would be a good idea or not.

The shorter of the two sighed softly. He couldn't believe he was going to let this happen. Praying for the best, Yusei looked at Bruno once more and then looked down. "Alright... I'll take you to see Kiryu tomorrow. BUT, you gotta promise me that you aren't gonna complain about being there for a while. We are gonna stay there for a week. I want some catching up to do with him."

The bluenette cheered loudly and hugged Yusei. "Thank you so much Yusei! Woo!"

The raven-haired male choked lightly. "Bruno, loosen up your choking me."

The other yelped and let him go. He gave a nervous chuckle and rubbed the back of his neck. "Whoops, my bad hehe."

Yusei cleared his throat. "It's fine but you gotta promise me that you aren't gonna forget to take your meds. You know you need to take your meds. They are very important and I don't want anything bad to happen to you if you miss taking them."

Bruno sighed softly and gave a small frown. "Fine... I'll take them with me. Also, we have to go buy me a new journal. Antinomy likes to fill them up with EVERY single thing that happens while he in control in DETAIL and Johnny likes filling up the pages with doodles."

The turbo duelist nodded. "Alright, we will get it later today. Get to packing your things, we will leave tomorrow. Plus I think its time we have something to eat since we have been working for a long time without a break."

The taller male smiled brightly and nodded. "Sounds like a plan."


	2. Antinomy's Walk In The Park

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bruno can't sleep, too eager to wait for tomorrow's events. Antinomy is there to settle him down and get him to go to bed. The next day, Antinomy decides he should be the one to take them to Crash Town.

Bruno laid in bed. It was already nighttime and while he was well aware that he should be sleeping, he just couldn't. He was just too excited about what tomorrow would bring. While he was nervous at the same time, the eagerness in his heart seemed to exceedingly outweigh the cons. He hummed softly, trying to lull himself back to sleep. He wasn't used to going to bed at a very proper time. Being used to working until very late with Yusei, he wasn't used to this "bedtime curfew". Who goes to sleep at like 9 pm willingly anyways? Was that just a normal thing that he just happened to miss out on?

He shrugged softly. He couldn't care any less. He just wanted time to fly faster so he could just hit the road. 

_ You should be sleeping. Stop wasting the hours and go to sleep. You know you need rest. It's gonna be a LONG week ahead of you. _

Bruno hummed once more, this time as a response. He gently rolled his eyes. Antinomy was on "mom" patrol again. "Antinomy, I'm perfectly fine. I bet you wouldn't be able to sleep if you were in my position. It's just the idea of seeing this person and what they are like is making me excited. I wonder what kind of things they like to make or specialize in making. Maybe they are strong in an area I'm weak in. They could teach me and make me better in all of this."

_ I get that. I know you are ready for all that but you have to take into account it's not just you that rules this body. We  _ **_ ALL  _ ** _ do. Just because you can run on empty and tired, doesn't mean we all can. Remember what happened last time Johnny was running on empty when he shifted? _

Bruno gave a sigh and small frown. He didn't recall much but he did see things slowly turning south before Johnny cut their connection. He was guessing something kinda bad happened that Johnny didn't want him to go through or deal with. He did have to admit, he kinda felt guilty now. Taking into account all those times he tossed aside his well being for such a small guilty pleasure and then leaving the consequences for the others. He gave a small whine. "I'm sorry... I don't mean to do so.."

_ It's fine but just take that into account from now on, alright? _

Bruno nodded. That conversation did manage him make him a bit tired. Might as well try to sleep now. Giving a small yawn, he stretched a bit and then shifted his position in the bed. "Goodnight guys.."

____________________________

Yusei was already up, getting any last minute things together and putting them into his bag. He didn't figure he needed much. Just some spare shirts and pants and basics. He set the bag in the living room, so it was there and ready for when they left. Taking his phone out, he gazed at the time. It was alright 8 and Bruno wasn't awake yet. That was a bit strange considering the bluenette was almost always the first of the two to wake up. Usually to eat something though. Maybe he was just more exhausted than usual or something.  He was about to go knock on his door to see what was up but saw the front door open. He automatically thought it was probably Jack or Crow dropping in expectedly and was about to scold them but then saw it was...

Antinomy. Yep. Antinomy. The plain dark navy blue t-shirt and equally dark jeans and black shoes confirmed that along with the obviously spiked up hair. Seems that Antinomy wanted to have a slice of life today.

The taller male lightly rubbed his face and sighed. He looked up and saw Yusei and gave a silent wave.  To be fair Antinomy was the least talkative of them all with Johhny being the chatterbox of the pack. He didn't really see a reason to speak if not needed. Which sometimes was such a great trait but it often made things outrageously awkward when they are in a silent room. For example, when they are working on engines, he and Bruno often exchange lots of back and forth chatter. But with Antinomy, he just him trying to say something to kill the silent atmosphere only to get deadlier silence in return. The times he did talk was to either criticize or possibly "roast" him for doing something incorrectly. "You should fix this part. The way it's put together, it will die in no time. Should really rethink the way you build that unless you want this to stop in the most inconvenient of times."  While he did appreciate the criticism, he couldn't help but feel a bit attacked by the comment. He was straight to the point and not meaning to be blunt. It's just how he was. 

Yusei returned the gesture. "You have all your things ready?"  The other nodded and held up two bags. "Needed to get refills and something for Johnny." 

It still threw him off when Antinomy spoke. Bruno's voice was passive and soft. Johnny's was a more childish version of Bruno's voice. Antinomy's was a deeper, somewhat rougher voice. It was interesting to hear and often times made Yusei blush sometimes. He didn't want to admit it but he tended to feel more awkward around Antinomy when he speaks because of his voice. It was just attractive in a certain way. He never admitted it out loud though. It was something he was ALWAYS going to keep to himself. 

A loud meow echoed into the living room. This made both males turn to the door. They looked outside and saw a siamese kitten. Yusei was rather confused as to why it was here, as for Antinomy, he seemed rather pleased to see the small feline. He set the bags down and picked up the kitten. He smiled softly and gave a small chuckle. "Hello there Lily. It's been a while since I have seen you around. How are you doing? Hm?"  He softly asked as he scratched under the small kitten's chin. The feline purred out at that. That made the alter feel content. They all loved cats. Well, they weren't sure if Red did but was certain that the others adored felines. 

** Oh my gosh!! A kitty!! Antinomy can we please switch?! I want to pet the kitty! You know I really really really like kitties!! Look at her! She is so pretty!! **

** " ** Johnny, I don't think you can play with this one. You're going to scare her. Knowing you, you're probably going to squeeze the daylights out of her."

** Aww! I wanted to play with her! Your mean! I'm telling Bruno! **

Antinomy rolled his eyes lightly. He set the kitten down outside. "Alright Lily, we are going to be gone for a while. If you need a place to go stay, go with Z alright?"

The kitten meowed in response and ran off. He laughed softly and composed himself. He brushed off any excess fur on his shirt and then looked at Yusei. "You ready?"

He nodded. "You want to eat right now or did you already eat?"

"Already did."

He made sure to eat something that would make him feel full for a long while. He didn't know how long they would be out before they got the chance to eat again. Though he did pack a few snacks. Mostly for Johnny though. Making his way to his room, he opened the door. He gave a frown. Bruno needed to clean this mess of a room. Giving a sound of distaste, he dug around searching for the bag. "Goddamnit Bruno, where the hell do you put anything?"  After finally finding the bag, he left the room, closing the door behind him. Antinomy gave a soft hum. "Ready?"

The other nodded and grabbed his bag as well. "If you want we can go on my runner. I don't mind sharing it if you don't want to-"

"I will be fine, I have my own runner."

Yusei gave a confused expression. He wasn't sure that taking that yellow runner was a good idea. It probably wouldn't get very far. "I don't-"

"You underestimate me and my own private life Yusei. We all have our own private life that even Bruno doesn't know about. Not that we don't want to tell him but we want our own window of privacy as well."

Yusei gave a baffled expression. It was still taking time for him to adjust to how different each alter was. Antinomy just made things silent and tense, whether that was his goal or not, he was striking it every time. He stayed silent and only gave a small nod. He didn't know what to say and would rather not accidentally make a fool of himself. Taking his runner outside, a gasp of surprise escaped him. "W-Where did you get that runner from?"

Antinomy gave a small chuckle. "You'd be surprised if I told you but I made that myself from scratch."

The raven-haired male was about to say something but the bluenette cut him off before he could even start. "I'll tell you about how I made Delta Eagle when we return.  WE have something to attend to before I can reveal my secrets to you. Now let's not waste any time and get going."  He gave another nod. Once again dumbfounded by the bold and straight to the point nature of the other, he took a moment to snap himself back to the real world. Once they were both outside, both males got onto their runners. "Alright Yusei, show the way."

_______

While the ride to Crash Town wasn't bad, it still had its problem. Johnny seemed to have wanted in on the adventure they were having. He complained about nearly everything. Saying that Antinomy was making them look edgy and making their hair a mess, that it was a boring trip, saying he wished it was more interesting. Typical things a child would complain about on a road trip or something. It may have been a somewhat annoying ride, however, Yusei did learn a bit more about Johnny.  To Johhny, Antinomy was like an older sibling. He referred to Bruno as anybody else would by his name. However, when talking about Antinomy, he would say big bro. He finds this interesting because the others don't really refer to each other like that, only Johhny. Bruno just talks about the others as if they were normal human beings he knew. Same thing with Antinomy. But if he was being honest, it was kinda cute to see.

After parking their runner, they made their way to the town. It was in a better state than Yusei last saw it in. He wondered how things have changed after he left. "So Yusei, what's this Kiryu person like? Is he a meanie? Is he nice? Does he have kitties?"  Yusei looked at Johnny and hummed softly. "I can't really tell you what he is like. It's one of those things where you just have to be there to know. And I highly doubt he has any cats. It may be a miracle if he did. Sorry, pal."

Johnny gave a pout of slight disappointment but didn't push further. He didn't want to WAIT. He wanted to know NOW. And he was kinda sad that there weren't any kitties. He liked kitties a lot. He had LOTS and LOTS of fluffy kitty plushies stuffed into a bag in their closet. He didn't want the other to find them and possibly make fun of him for it. He was sensitive. He liked those plushies and ever since he arrived with Yusei, he has begun to collect them. But its really more so, Antinomy buying them for him. Bruno didn't even know about the kitty plushies so it would be awkward to explain where he got them from. 

He perked up at the sound of something playing. He couldn't really tell was. He heard of it before somewhere in maybe like a movie or something. "W-What's that?"

"It's a harmonica. It's a type of... Wind instrument if I'm correct. And that could only mean one thing. Kiryu is nearby."

Advancing, they began to see a figure slowly make their way towards them. The figure just played their small instrument as they neared them. Johnny whined softly. They seemed scary. Long white hair with a light blue tint to it, a black trenchcoat that trailed behind them. Pale features and a dull expression.  The bluenette couldn't help but feel a bit lightheaded. Sure he was a bit scared of him, okay maybe a LOT scared. Who wouldn't?! The man looked like the grim reaper himself! He didn't want to die YET! He was too young!  But he shouldn't be scared to the point of getting lightheaded. 

Wait. 

Putting a hand on Yusei's shoulder, he lightly gripped it. To help keep his balance in case he fell. "Antinomy, what are you doing?"

He silently mumbled to himself before he closed his eyes. After a few seconds, he opened them once more and completely gave off a different vibe. He let go of Yusei's shoulder and looked at the figure once more. He stopped in front of them. "Long time no see Yusei. And I see you brought a... Friend... Correct?"

Yusei looked down and gave a sharp intake of air. "I guess in a way, you can say that. I will explain the details and everything later. But long story short, Kiryu, this is..."

The raven-haired male looked at Antinomy, not really knowing which of them he was at the moment and not knowing whether to call them their own name or Bruno. He cleared his throat in an awkward manner, hoping the other would catch the hint. Antinomy stepped forward a bit and hummed. "My name's Bruno. Nice to finally meet you Kiryu."

Kiryu hummed. "Bruno... A nice name I will say. Well, nice to meet you too. Hope you have been keeping Yusei company. He tends to not take care of himself as he should in regards to resting and sleeping."

Antinomy only stared at him. No hum, nothing was exchanged. The long-haired male lightly cleared his throat and turned his attention back to Yusei. "Anyways... What brings you here to Crash Town?"

"Well..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm braindead help lmao
> 
> Basically Antinomy is like the "parent/older sibling" figure to Bruno and Johnny. He often is the one out when they interact with new people. When he deems a person to be safe around, he lets the other two come out to play. Also Johnny is babey boi lmao. I'm trying with them alright. 
> 
> Johnny is like the smol child counterpart. He is basically like a 13 year old. Young and still somewhat childish to a certain degree but still somewhat aware of certain things in the world. However Antinomy or Bruno take over when things that they don't want him to see or deal with. They p r o t e c c
> 
> Lmao. If you can't tell Red is like his awakened state lmao. I was gonna have "Timothy" be like a twin to Johnny in a certain way but decided against it. 
> 
> H o p e y ' a l l e n j o y  
> i g u e s s  
> b o r k b o r k ya filthy animals-


	3. The Meet of Distaste

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kiryu isn't quite fond of Bruno and his alters. Yusei is trying to help them together. Antinomy is just in his own world.

Yusei most definitely wasn't planning on them to arrive like this. He had hoped that Bruno would be here and talking with Kiryu rather than having an alter being here. Now it was going be harder to try to get things past the other and have things get done. He just didn't want the two of them to fight. 

Antinomy has a tendency to be somewhat standoffish towards new people in an attempt to intimidate them and get them less likely to hurt them. He was also pretty socially awkward. He wasn't really used to interacting with new people since he has mostly only interacted with his alters, Yusei, and the gang. He had a dreadful and unintentional habit of being blunt and was easy to spark conflict with. While he would usually try to back himself out of it, if it got to a certain point, he would just let it out. He would rather them  **_ NOT  _ ** reach that point. He just hoped for the best. Also, he tended to just stare at people since he was unsure of how to talk with others or get comfy enough with them to do so. He doesn't know that it makes people uncomfortable so just continues to do so unless someone tells him. 

Lightly scratching the back of his head, he put a hand on his hip. He gave a somewhat deep breath. "Well... You see... My friend here Bruno wanted to meet you. Ever since I told him about you teaching me almost everything I knew, he was just thrilled to meet you. He wouldn't stop nagging me until I said yes. And... Here we are."

Kiryu hummed softly, reaching into his pocket. He pulled out a hair tie and began to tie his hair up into a loose ponytail. He turned his attention to the bluenette that was probably burning holes into him at this very moment. If looks could kill, the other probably would have killed him the very second they met. 

'Yeah, this guy was  **_ DEFINITELY  _ ** OH SO  **_ THRILLED _ ** to be here. Just look at em, just  **_ JUMPING  _ ** with utter  **_ JOY.  _ ** Who were they kidding, if anything it looks more like Yusei just wanted to come to visit and unfortunately had to drag this guy along. Seems like Yusei is a bad liar. As always.'

He gave a silent scoff as he thought.

'Now to figure out who this guy could be... He could be just a friend. Or maybe a roommate of his. Wouldn't be surprising considering he used to live with Jack and Crow...'

He couldn't help but feel the need to give a sound of distaste. He didn't but the intense desire to do was burning like wildfire within him. 

Crystal clear face, no ratty old jail mark anywhere in sight. He probably wouldn't last a day in the rough city they lived in. He probably couldn't defend himself for anything. This guy seemed pathetic to him, he couldn't really understand why Yusei would hang out with a person like this. This wasn't their style. 

Pfft.

Who was he kidding? He hasn't seen him in heaven knows how long, who knows what the other was like now. That new town made him disgustingly soft now. Then again, he deserved it. After all the bullshit he has been put through it makes sense he is given a place to calm down and relax. 

Gah. He didn't know anymore. His mind needed to make itself up. He knew he shouldn't be this bitter but he couldn't help it. He had been with Yusei through thick and thin, they handled all their struggles together and where was  **_ THIS  _ ** guy? Probably having the best life a person could ever have. Not having to worry about anything or anyone hurting them. 

He lightly shook his head in an attempt to clear his mind from all these thoughts. He was gonna start a clean new slate. He was a new man. A chance to restart his life. He knew he should have forgiven himself for all the misdeeds he has committed in the past but he couldn't help but feel all those dark memories lurking in his mind. They were just waiting for the perfect moment of weakness and then strike. To make him wallow in self-loathing. Those thoughts and memories wanted nothing more than to get him to the edge. To plague himself with his own mental hallucinations of a non-existent future and shameful past. To get him to fall under their dark influence so he could be at their will. Before, he was willing to give everything up. He wanted nothing more than the blissful sensation of exhaustion and before brought into the luscious and welcoming embrace of death once more. Shivering softly, he cleared his throat lightly. 

'Stop. No more horrid thoughts. Not right now anyway. You have guests over for a while. You need to be strong. Just push through.'

"Well, I'm glad you decided to bring him over. I don't mind some company. We are a close-knit community here but it is nice to see some other familiar faces and new company."

He gave a small hum. "I welcome you both to my humble town, Crash Town. I hope that you both will find yourself comfortable here during your stay."

'Except for you blue bitch..'

"Follow me, I will bring you back to my place. I moved to another spot since I needed more space for my lovely children Nico and West. We got a spare room you can sleep in."

The long-haired male turned around and began to make his way back to town. He now gave a grimace since he wasn't facing the other two anymore. He already didn't like this "Bruno" guy. It was something he really shouldn't be worrying about or getting fussy over. While he had somewhat gotten over his love for Yusei, he still couldn't help but feel overprotective over him. He just wanted the best for him and for him to be safe and unharmed. He knew he just met this person but he could already sense something off about him. He opted to investigate that later. He'd rather not stir up conflict until later on. Until then, his mischievous habits were gonna be left on the back burner till then. 

Yusei has followed in suit with Antinomy by his side. As much as he wanted to strike up a conversion to kill the awkward silence, he knew it wasn't gonna go well. Both males liked to keep to themself, Antinomy verbally and Kiryu more so in everyday life. While Kiryu tended to answer, he would answer in as little words as possible while Antinomy never wasted his breath unless absolutely needed Mostly cause he was secretly a socially anxious male. He was more introverted. Johnny was the outgoing extrovert that was always trying to strike up a conversation with anyone he finds. Bruno was an ambivert. A mix of them both but tended to be on the more introverted side. 

"Don't forget about what I told you, Bruno."

He didn't get a response but he hoped that the other heard what he said. He would rather not deal with an off the charts anybody because they forgot to take their meds. He didn't even remember who had what but they just needed to take whatever was in their pill container. Of course, easier said than done. Antinomy didn't like taking them and Johnny was scared of pills and would cry and complain about dying or something. 

This piqued Kiryu's interest a bit. It could have just been something simple, like Yusei telling him how to behave but he highly doubts it was something simple like that. He wondered what exactly had been told. Knowing Yusei, it must be something serious since he doesn't exactly remind people about simple things or scold them on it. Or not very often anyway. He usually did but those circumstances were different than now. 

Oh, how he missed how things were back then before all his life-shattering nightmares began. Those were just much better times. Sure they weren't perfect but he had his closest friends with him. They practically lived together. Having Yusei, Jack, and Crow by his side was just magnificent. A small smile slipped onto his features. They were such idiots back then but god was it worth it. While Yusei was rather shy about it, Jack uptight about, Crow very open about it, they couldn't deny that those days were the days of fourways and mix and matches. They often found themselves tangled up in each other arms. Sometimes he would find himself in Jack's bed, other times giving soft kisses to Yusei, or cuddles with Crow. He did miss the sweet moments he had with each and every one of them. But that was just something that is in the past now. 

What he would give to have his beloved king back. But what was there to offer such a powerful and voracious being? He didn't have much, he had nothing interesting in personality or possession to offer as a token of appreciation to him. He didn't know what he could do to satisfy such a greedy and self-centered being. 

Who knows, maybe he has changed too. The question arises though, for better or for worse? Only time will tell. 

Before they knew it, they had arrived at his home. "Welcome to my domain. Sorry if it's not that tidy, it's been a hot second since I have cleaned up. And living with two kids doesn't-"

"Dad! Dad!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lmao sorry if this chapter sucked. Feels like filler. Idk thats just me. I just wanted to get this part out of the way because I wanted to get to the KIDDOS!!!


	4. Getting Through The Greets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things begin to boil between Antinomy and Kiryu. Yusei ponders what could have caused Antinomy to be the way he is. Plus Nico and West being bby uwu.

The three of them jumped to see two blurs dashed out of the house and nearly tackle Kiryu over. The three of them nearly toppled to the ground. Two balls of energy hugged Kiryu tightly and giggled loudly. "Dad!"

Antinomy gave a yelp as he saw them. There were two kids. A girl and a boy. If he was being honest, he wasn't very fond of little kids, mostly because he has never been around them. He had been around Rua and Ruka but mostly from afar, aka from Bruno's point of view. He has never really interacted with them in person. But they seemed pretty tame. These two though seemed a bit rowdier than the twins. He just never really understood how children worked. The only child he has ever dealt with is Johnny. That probably didn't count though. Sorry Johnny. The bluenette watched as the other stood up and kept his feet planted to the floor. Were all kids here this rowdy and wild?

** OH MY GOSH, KIDS!!! BIG BRO!! LET ME PLAY WITH THEM! They seem like SO MUCH FUN!! PLEASE? PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PRETTY PLEASE?! **

Antinomy sharply winced and held his head at the sudden outburst the other had. God, could he be ANY LOUDER?! He growled softly and glared at the floor in slight annoyance. 

_ Could you maybe warn me before you yell like that?! You know I get headaches very easily when you do things like that. I'd rather not have a bad mood while being here.  _

** I'm sorry but I just really want to meet them! They look like fun! I just wanna play... You know I don't really have anyone to play with back home... Bruno is always out and about, Yusei tends to do all that boring mechanics stuff most of the day, and you are always locked up in your "room" **

Great. Now he felt like an asshole. He knew the other was right since the twins were usually hanging out with their friends or at home. They rarely came over anymore. If they did, it was mostly cause Rua wanted Yusei's company or help on something. Never really for him, well... 

That was a lie. 

He often came for BRUNO or JOHNNY. 

Never for HIM. 

It made sense. He wasn't a very easy person to be around. He understood he was very intimidating and reserved at times but it isn't his fault. He was just... Made like that. It was the way he was... Programmed to be. For as long as he could remember, he was always like this. If anything, he just got a bit more bitter as the years went on. He isn't as bad as he could be since he had people that mellowed him down but his habits often came and bit him in the most unfortunate of times. 

"An- Bruno are you okay?"

Yusei had noticed the other's strange actions and wondered what was going on. Antinomy was prone to getting headaches quite easily, he knew that for sure. Did he have one and not tell him? He just wanted him to be okay. "Do you need some pain killers?"

Antinomy muttered softly and shook his head. "I'm alright."

_ Look, I'm sorry for acting like a jerk. I get that you don't have many people to play with back home. Let's just help me out for at least the rest of today and then tomorrow you can have a shot at it. How's that sound? _

He could practically see Johnny in his mind. He was like a little kid standing at their parent's doorway. Holding a small siamese plushie close and having his pointers together as he shyly looked down at the floor. He couldn't help but softly smile at that. It was so cute to witness. 

** Okie... Just pinky promise? **

_ Pinky promise. _

A small chuckle escaped him by accident, he looked up and put his hand down. Almost everyone had their attention on him. He felt a bit awkward by it but nonetheless, kept his small smile. "I'm sorry... I just... I saw you and your kids and I thought of someone I know... Very sweet kid really.."

Kiryu gave a look of interest. Did this mean that this "Bruno" guy had a kid too? Or maybe he babysits. Looks after kids? He sure as hell doesn't look like someone that would be able to handle kids. Mostly because of his default resting bitch face. It seemed like a mix of annoyance, distaste, and squinting. Maybe this guy needed glasses or something. Then maybe he wouldn't be looking like such an asshole. 

Whoops, that slipped. 

Then maybe he wouldn't look like such an unapproachable person.

There. Perfect censorship. He was a father now, he had learned to do that fairly quickly. He could easily flip a switch his word and action choice in seconds when around kids. 

Looking down, he smiled and messed with the kid's hair. He ruffled it and chuckled softly. "Hey guys, we have guests today. I'm sure you remember Yusei."

He gestured to the raven-haired male. The two nodded brightly and smiled. "We could never forget about uncle Yusei!" 

Nico nodded in agreeance with her brother. "You missed you. We were hoping that you would come back someday to visit. You have helped us so much, we were only waiting for you to come back to thank you and make it up to you."

Yusei couldn't help but give a smile at that. "I'm just glad you two are okay and taking care of this guy for me. It's all you really need to do for me. Alright?"

Both children nodded and turned their attention to the blue-haired male. They both tilted their heads in curiosity. They have never met this person before, or at least not that they remember anyways. West pointed towards Antinomy. "Papa, who is that? I don't think we have seen him around before."

Nico gave a loud gasp and huffed. "West! Don't point at people! It's rude!"

She hissed at him. The other yelped and whined. "I'm sorry I didn't mean it!"

Kiryu ruffled their hair once more, silently telling them to settle down. They both did and looked down in shame for their actions. The long-haired male hummed softly and cleared his throats. "Forgive me for that, they are good kids, just not very used to new people."

He straightened himself up and gestured to Antinomy. "Nico, West, this is Bruno. A friend of Yusei's. He is the main reason Yusei came over. According to him, he wanted to come over here to learn from the master of mechanics. Aka me."

Antinomy barely managed to bite back a scoff that threatened to escape him. He probably thought highly of himself but the way he took care of his person showed he didn't bother to keep himself presentable. How could he make such "wonderful" engineering crafts if he couldn't even tie his shoes? They just happened to be loose at the moment but being the bitter being he was, he was gonna use anything to his advantage if needed. He likes keeping tabs of things people do. He was observant unlike the other two. He faked a decent smile and nodded. GOD, he hated this. He didn't understand why Bruno wanted to meet this person. Maybe he didn't know him that much and was judging too early on. He probably was but then again when did he not?

West smiled softly and giggled. "He is so tall! He could probably touch the sky. You think he can pick us up? That would be so cool!"

Nico crossed her arms over her chest and lightly rolled her eyes. "West, aren't you afraid of heights? To the point of like, crying?"

The younger sibling's eyes widened. He quickly got onto the defensive. "N-No I'm not! Heights are like, super cool and stuff! YOUR the one scared of heights!"

The older sibling scoffed. "As if!"

Both began to bicker about who was more afraid of heights. Kiryu only gave a small, tired sigh. He wasn't gonna even try to stop them, once they got started, nobody could stop them. They were gonna have to wear themselves out eventually... Whenever that was. Knowing the two, it would probably be in a LONG while. He looked up and signaled the other two to follow. Turning on a heel, he made his way inside the house. 

It was pretty bare, having a small table scattered with cards that fell onto the floor. A small couch and rug. Toys littered the floor as well. It wasn't as bad as it could have been but not that tidy either. Kiryu whistled softly as he made his way to the spare room. He opened the door and walked inside, the other two right behind him. A bed with nothing but a light sheet and pillow laid on one side of the room. "Didn't expect you to bring company with ya, so unless you both don't mind sharing, there isn't much I can do. Sorry.."

Yusei gave a small hum. "It's perfectly fine like that Kiryu. I'm sure we don't mind sharing. I appreciate it."

He gently shook his hand in the air. "Don't mention it. I like your company and having you around. It's the least I can do in case you decided to pull another trip here."

He gave a soft expression as he said that. "If you need anything, just tell me alright?"

Yusei nodded and smiled. "Alright, we will, right Bruno?"

Antinomy wanted nothing more than to retch at the fake expression the other wore. But alas, he didn't want to ruin such a nice bed, so he reframed from doing so. He gave another faint smile and nodded. "Alright. Thanks for everything Kiryu."

He mustered up his best Bruno impression. It was hard for him to mimic that. His own tone was a bit rougher and his voice a bit deeper. Johnny was better and lying and mimicking the voice than he was. Lucky eight-year-old gremlin.

The long hair male couldn't help but give a short glare at the bluenette, being leaving and closing the door behind him. God, he couldn't put a finger on it, but something was up with that guy. Was he always so fake? Was he just trying to be polite but in reality hated his guts? Did this person even like Yusei at all, he seemed pretty rude to him. Grumbling under his breath, he went to his room and closed the door. 

Screw Bruno. He was just gonna be here for a while. No problem. Once he is gone, his life will return to normal.

He sat down at his desk. He had started another project during one of his intense restlessness moments but then burnout hit him and hasn't touched it since. He wasn't going to let such a practice project go to waste.

________

Yusei sat down on the bed and gave a loud sigh. He didn't like playing this game of uncertainty with Antinomy. It was so hard to see what he was like. He never really talked, so he didn't know his likes or dislikes. The few times he did talk was to criticize someone or tell them to screw off. He just wished he would calm down a bit and maybe open up more. Maybe he just needed time. Or perhaps someone to talk to. No, he would probably get flat out denied the second he asks. He groaned softly and crossed his arms over his chest. This was difficult. He wasn't saying Antinomy was difficult but the more he revisited these thoughts, the more he felt guilty of thinking it. He just didn't know how else to put it.

He squeaked lightly as he felt an additional weight get added onto the bed. He left the clouds and looked over and saw Antinomy silently mumbling under his breath as he flipped the papers of his journal. Clicking a pen, he began to write. He didn't seem very content, but then again who knew what he was feeling? He always seemed bitter. Mad at the world. He always wondered why. Did something perhaps happen to them? Is that what molded Antinomy to act this way?

Maybe something bad did happen. Could that be how Antinomy was... Made? Because Bruno needed a defender? But... Why?

He seemed perfectly fine. Cheerful and such a clumsy person. He is always interested in new things and always up to try something he normally doesn't do. He is intelligent, a genius in his eyes. He was somewhat shy but that never got in the way of his adventures in life. Though it was a known fact that he DESPISED violence. He did anything in his power to avoid physical violence. He thought it was just probably a thing everyone had a fear of but he began to study him more. Sudden actions and motions would make him flinch. It was more than just a natural response to avoid receiving pain. It had to be. 

According to Bruno, Antinomy was the first one to show himself. Red following a while after, with Johnny appearing last. 

He found this interesting. To have the most out of character for him and violent people to come out first, meant he was in a situation that wasn't very suitable for him to be in. While he wanted to know more about Bruno's past, he couldn't bring himself to ask him. He felt like it was wrong to do. Like an invasion of privacy. What if he didn't want to talk about it? Would it make him have a meltdown? Would it trigger anything? He just rather not have to go through with all those troubles. He was willing to help if they did happen but if he could prevent it then he would rather prevent. He didn't want to mess his mind up if it was already clear for the most part. 

Swallowing a thick sheet of saliva that had built up in his throat, he cleared his throat. "Hey Antinomy... When your done writing, don't forget you have to take your medicine. Alright?"

Antinomy hummed softly and looked up. His expression seemed softer than before. Maybe because it was just the both of them and he felt more relaxed. He looked at his bag and couldn't help but give a frown. This one wasn't very fond of taking his medicine. He gave a sigh and nodded. "Alright..."

Setting aside the journal, he pulled his bag towards him. He unzipped it and dug around the bag. He huffed at how things were just thrown haphazardly in there. Yusei though, giggled at that. Typical Bruno. The bluenette looked up at him. "What are you laughing at?"

Surprisingly his tone wasn't dry and threatening. It was actually a joking manner and soft. This made him feel a bit more content. Maybe he just needed time to break out of his shell. The raven-haired male smiled and shook his head softly. "Nothing."

He grinned brightly and the other only rolled his eyes. Pulling out a small circle container, the taller male opened one side. He took the pills out and put them in his mouth, swallowing them one at a time. He grimaced after he took them all. "They always did taste bitter."

"You'll be fine."

"Whatever..."


	5. Exchange of Similar Persons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While they might not realize it, Kiryu and Antinomy have more in common than they think. However, they don't know this. 
> 
> (Tbh I was fucking tired as hell when I posted this, so there will probably be so many errors here. I will edit it the next day though so don't worry. While this is a no beta we die like men story, since this chapter is so freakishly long, I will look over it but TOMORROW CAUSE IM LAZY AND TIRED AF)
> 
> Edit: I went over it now. Now it isn't as shitty as it was before uwu
> 
> Trigger Warnings GALORE in this chapter. Watch out. 
> 
> Trigger Warnings: Eating Disorders, Past Child Abuse/Abuse, Self-Deprecation

After everyone settled down, Antinomy opted to stay in the room, claiming he didn't feel well. The others didn't think much of it so they let it be. Kiryu however, felt very content with this. He could have Yusei and the kids all to himself without having to deal with Bruno. He hummed and peered out the window. The sun was setting, the horizon slowly getting darker and shifting into a soft mix of violet and orange. Stirring the soup he was making, he gave a small frown. He didn't want to seem... Problematic at dinner for not eating anything but he honestly couldn't get himself to even stare at what he was cooking for more than a few seconds before he felt a familiar sensation washed over him. His nose taking in the smell of it didn't help very much either. But if he didn't feel the need to eat, he didn't need to eat. Right? 

He shook his head. 

No, that didn't cut it. He didn't want Yusei's nagging or the kids to be worried about him. He didn't like seeing their face twist into a discontent manner. They never wanted to say anything but their expressions said more than a million words. They were clearly concerned about his habit as much as they didn't want to admit it out loud to him. It was visible. They just didn't want to be "rude" about it by pointing it out. Which he was glad they didn't but it wasn't really helping.

God, now his mood was so much bitter. His heart was crushing itself in his chest at the thought of that. It was a constant internal battle every day. He KNEW this wasn't very good for him. He KNEW he shouldn't be like this but it wasn't like he was CHOOSING to be like this. He was just trying to slowly recover. He was making progress but it was so painstakingly slow, he nearly gave up on himself many times before. It was just incredibly difficult to fight away intrusive thoughts from the past as well as stupid comments or memories that preyed on his weakness. Pushing through was just becoming more and more of a struggle sometimes. If not, all the time. 

Ever since he arrived to Crash Town, he hadn't really been taking care of himself. Just drinking enough water or some alcohol to get him by the days. He couldn't bring himself to eat. It had been such a foreign concept to him at this point that he forgot many people actually had to eat to survive. Having been starved in jail and dying of starvation, he was reborn a dark signer. He didn't need to eat when he was like that. He was always running on empty because he didn't need to do anything that normal humans would have needed to do. You didn't need to eat. You didn't need to sleep. There was no need to worry about that. You weren't a being of this earth anymore so what was the point? You could do so, but it probably wouldn't have made any differences. 

Carly often cried because she wasn't able to do anything she liked doing before. She would try to go to sleep, only to jolt awake a few seconds later. In those mere few seconds, she was plagued with never-ending nightmares. He hated the asshole he used to be back then. He oftentimes found himself ENJOYING her suffering, even tormenting her a bit before leaving at night and exploring. She didn't deserve that. She wasn't even turned willingly, she just was. As for the rest of them, they were WILLINGLY converted into a dark signer. 

A long sigh of guilt flowed out of him. He knew what he did was something that could never be excusable. Ever. And that was okay. He was here. He was okay. He wasn't doing anything horrid. That's good. It's progress. Something that shows his growth from then. He wasn't going to make himself suffer anymore. Or... Not as much anyways. He was still recovering, a work in progress. But he was going to get to that goal. Sooner or later, he was gonna do it. It could take years but he wasn't going to just call it quits. He was never like that. He always wanted to be on top of things. Eventually, he was going to be on top of this as well. Well... Not really. He could never truly be on top of this. It was always going to be with him for the rest of his. Forever haunting him. No...

God, this was hard. 

'Come on mind, we need inspiration. We need positive things to get through the day. Don't fail on me this early on...'

He thought to himself. Turning off the soup, he set the ladle aside. He was going to let it cool down for a while. Might as well take a moment to get other things ready. He began to cut some bread up into certain portions for everyone to have their own piece during supper. There was still some leftover chocolate in case anyone wanted for dinner. Most likely the kids were going to want a piece knowing them. They had such a prominent sweet tooth and were always eager to snatch something sweet when they had the chance. Getting out some plates, he set them aside for later when it would come time for supper. Which wouldn't be until the kids come back. They do enjoy running amuck the town and he couldn't stop them. Besides, he knew they were able to handle themselves out there. They would be perfectly fine. He was certain. Plus he wanted to see if they would tire themselves out so they wouldn't be so rowdy for the rest of the day. Maybe then, he could finally work on stuff in peace without having to worry about them tearing up the house somehow. While they were really good and sweet children, they were also gremlin hellspawns when they wanted to be. And he wouldn't have it any other way.

"Hey, Kiryu. Do you mind if I come in here with you? I know you like being alone sometimes and I respect your privacy but I don't really have much to do since... Bruno wanted a moment to himself right now and the kids are out at the moment. I just... Wanted some catching up to do.."

The long-haired male turned his attention to the doorway of the kitchen. He wanted to give the brightest smile he could ever muster but thought against it. He didn't want to get his face muscles stuck like that. Instead, he opted to give him a small one. He pulled out two chairs and sat in one, he lightly pat down on the other for him to come over. Yusei gave a chuckle at that and made his way there. Once he said down, he lightly laid his head on Kiryu's shoulder. A typical habit he had with him that he had yet to give up. Long fingers combed through the mess Yusei called hair. "So how have things been going?"

Kiryu gave a long inhale and deep exhale at that. He gave a low chuckle. Oh, how things have changed. He would be surprised at all the changes he helped make and start here. They made this an actually livable town. It wasn't awful like it used to be. Now, people really enjoyed being here. There were plenty of jobs for everyone, not much crime, homes for people to stay in for good. It was truly a blessing but of course, wherever Yusei goes, he always leaves behind a miracle somehow. "The things you have missed. We have been doing amazing. The town is in better shape than it has ever been in before. We even managed to make a small school for the children. They love it there surprisingly. Didn't expect them to take a big liking to it since most kids complain about how much they detest school. They enjoy it though so that's good."

Yusei hummed softly and smiled at that. "That's good. Better than having them lounge around the house and being bored after doing something they like. They can learn a lot of things they might like and meet other kids."

The other nodded at that. "I don't mind them at home but I like having some peace and quiet sometimes to work on some inventions and such. I'm a bit rusty on making stuff and putting them together so I kinda need some practice to get back into the swing of things. You know?"

"Yeah, I know what you mean. Happens to me every once in a while. Bruno too. Just not as often. He just gets braindead at moments but gets his head back into gear after a while."

Yusei turned his gaze from the floor to his hands. He was lying, again. Bruno NEVER got rusty with things. He just seemed way too advanced for him, but he never seemed to forget small details or how to do certain things. He could just be messing around and making a new code for fun and end up with a completely fully functional piece of code. And say it was just cause he was bored or fun? People twice their age would be struggling with trying to even complete one that was done halfway for them and he could make one from scratch and have it work with minimal flaws? It was always so fresh in his mind but he did have days where he couldn't even get himself out of bed. The days he felt like his world was just given a deadly blow and he couldn't. Not to mention the moments where he had mental arguments with the rest of his alters. He would excuse himself and then go to his room. He was wondering if he should tell Kiryu about Bruno's condition. As much as he wanted to do so, he couldn't. It wasn't his place to tell. It was Bruno's. He has to make sure the other was comfortable with letting Kiryu know and if his alters were alright with that or not. And knowing Antinomy that would be a big fat NO off the bat. Johnny seemed terrified of him so that would probably be a no as well. 

Yusei only half listened and hummed in response to what Kiryu was saying. His mind was just somewhere else right now and the other saw this. "If you want, you can talk later. You seem out of it."

This pulled him from his thoughts back to reality. He drowsily shook his head. "No... It's fine. I just... I'm just worried about someone."

This made the cat known as curiosity jumped out of the bag and run. "If you don't mind telling me, who are you worried about? Is it your friend you brought along? Jack? Crow?"

"Can I tell you something very important?"

This sudden response surprised him a bit. This must be something important. "Uh... Sure. What's up?"

Yusei tried his best to form how to phrase this in his head. He couldn't. He couldn't just spill everything about Bruno. It was very intrusive of him to do so. "Y-You know what, I'll tell you later. I need a while to think of how to tell you this."

While this did make Kiryu a bit discontent, he understood. He was just a bit disappointed that he didn't get to hear whatever the other had to say. That didn't matter right now though. All that mattered to him right now was that he had a moment alone with Yusei. Having him all to himself. Something he hasn't experienced in a long time. Humming softly, he replied softly. "Alright, when your ready tell me."

The other only gave a silent nod. He looked down at him and pulled him close. He missed when they would be like this. Nobody there to disturb them, they did as they liked. Suck in a delicate embrace that made it seem timeless. When they were like this, time cease to exist, only caring about this precious moment. How he wanted all that back. The raven-haired male looked up at him, their eyes meeting. Bright sapphire meeting dull golden ones. He moved a bit, getting himself closer to the other. He wanted them to be as close as possible. To feel each other's warmth and love. A feeling of safety in one another's arms. Before they could process anything, they were locked in a soft and longing kiss. 

_____________________

_ "Subject 10-14 doesn't show signs of being very bright in any area that isn't tinkering with objects. What do you think we should do?" _

_ "We just have to make him try. Commence action Clear Mind. It worked on the others when they showed to be like this as well." _

_ "But sir-" _

_ "COMMENCE CLEAR MIND!" _

_ He gazed at the wall of the nearly bare room he was in. It was possibly beyond freezing in there but he couldn't say anything in protest. Not like he could anyways. They wouldn't listen to him no matter what. He huddled up in his old faded out navy blue hoodie and tried to stay warm. Had he have known this was going to be his new life, he would have rather stayed in the orphanage. He gasped and jumped back at the sound of the door opening. He tried to stay in the corner, trying to disappear or blend into it so they wouldn't see him. He didn't want to go. He hated it here and wanted nothing more than to be able to escape from this horrid place. Trembling, the bluenette child whimpered as he saw someone walk in. "Come on Bruno, we just want to do another test. Don't be scared."  _

_ Scrambling towards the door, he was restrained the second he step foot outside the room. He cried out in complete horror. Shrieking his heart out, trying to get someone to help him though he knew it would be in vain. He struggled against the people holding him but it was no use. He was nothing more than a small child. "PLEASE! LET ME GO!! PLEASE I'LL DO ANYTHING!! JUST PLEASE!" _

_ His pleas weren't answered. The weeping mess of a child was taken to another room. The outcries of another child reverberated through the hallway only making him cry even more. He was hungry, tired, and frightened. Other kids his age would have been curled up on their bed, coloring, or reading a book. Maybe watching TV or playing with friends. Or maybe even playing with a pet if they had one. Perhaps bickering with a sibling over something stupid they seemed to get fired up over. Going out to the park with their family. Watching a movie with friends or family. Unfortunately, he wasn't blessed with such gifts. The second he was adopted, hell erupted.  _

_ Nearing a familiar room, complete and total panic began to consume his entire being. Out of desperation, he harshly bit one of the adults restraining him. After a while, the taste of blood flooded his taste buds. He sobbed out and tried to get away but it was no use. The door was slammed open and he tossed inside. A loud cry was forced out of him at the sudden yet expected impact with the floor. This routine was almost constant at this point. Always sending him into a room to do whatever they wanted and they would evaluate him. He was doing something wrong, he knew he had to have been. They weren't just treating him like this just to do so.  _

_ Struggling to sit up, he took in the look of the room. He hated this room. The more he was tested, the more he would end up here. A lady sat on the other side of a table there. "Bruno, why are you always trying to escape? Just cooperate with us and you will be fine. Z-ONE and Lucciano do so and nothing bad happens to them. You are probably worse than Placido sometimes but at least Placido managed to calm down. I don't think you want to go through what he did now do you?" _

_ He remembered the day during lunch when they saw him. He had his eye bandaged up. None of them even asked or said a word to him about it. But all they could assume was that it was a punishment for some sort of rebellion he must have done. He was never the same since then. The bluenette shook his head. "N-No..." _

_ "Then be a good boy for me, please?" _

_ "O-Okay..." _

_ "Good. Let's start a new test now." _

_ At that moment, he yelped and gripped his head. He felt something he was never felt before. He thought it was something from the fall he just took but it wasn't that. This wasn't a physical injury pain. This was some sort of mental pain. It felt like something cut or was severed. "Bruno?" _

_ The sniveling child went silent. He ceased to cry or whimper. Dead silent. He was NEVER EVERY truly silent. Whether it be silent muttering to himself or whines. There was always something but there wasn't. He put his hands down and opened his eyes. He glared at the lady. "Didn't you say we had to start a test? Well? Hurry up, your wasting time here." _

_ Since then, "Antinomy" was born.  _

_ //// _

_ "SUBJECT 10-14 KNOWN BY THE NAME OF BRUNO BORRELLI IS CURRENTLY ON THE RUN, LAST SEEN RUNNING THROUGH THE NORTHEAST WING!! CATCH HIM AT ONCE! DON'T LET HIM GET AWAY!!" _

_ Antinomy tore through the hallway, he wasn't putting up with these idiots anymore. They were giving him toddler level items and expecting him to not be BORED OUT OF HIS MIND by them? He didn't need them, they thought they were oh so smart because they were adults. They were easy to read and even easier to dissect information from. They were surprisingly easy to make on edge and cry. Seeing them squirm in their chair the closer and closer he got to pinning their deepest and darkest secrets. It was entertaining to see but this made him get in trouble more. Going through intense interrogations. But he felt like something in him was blurring together. He wasn't sure but there was something different about him as of late. Switching between two moods was almost the new normal for him. He went to sleep and woke up his not so bright and whining self but immediately after that was just different. Like a switch. It was just instant. What was going on? _

_ He panted as he turned the corner. He gasped and stopped. People were waiting for him there. He took a few steps back and turned around. He was about to start running off again but found himself surrounded. He swallowed the saliva that had built up in his mouth and bit his lip. He was trapped. This was it. He didn't want to go back. He hated it here. "Just let me leave and we won't have any problems, alright?" _

_ As much as he tried to sound as threatening and brave, he was still nothing but a mere child. He was 9 years old. Not very intimidating from an adult's point of view. He cried out as he felt a group of adults grab him. He growled and glared at them, his silver eyes harsh daggers. "Let me GO."  _

_ He growled through his teeth, doing all he could to try to look intimidating but it wasn't working. What was he doing wrong? Couldn't he save himself? What did he do to deserve all of this torture? "You better let me-" _

_ He gasped and loosened in their grip. A roaring headache thundered in his head. He has never felt this before. Tears fell from his dull metal eyes from the tremendous pain that racked at his head. He could feel himself slipping from consciousness. Was this is it? Was he dying? He wasn't sure. All he knew was he blacked out. _

_ Starting there, "Red" was born. _

_ As much as he tried to remember, he never found out what during that time that he was blacked out. _

_ /// _

_ "Z-ONE?" _

_ The older male hummed in response. "What is it, Bruno?" _

_ The younger male looked down and put his pointers together. While he wasn't quite finished yet from recovering from his times at the testing facility, he has grown attached to the other. Z-ONE was a few years older than him and has been taking care of him ever since they escaped from that old place. He was like an older brother to him. He was currently 12 at the time with Z-ONE being 17. He was struggling with many jobs to keep a roof over their head and food on the table. But he never said anything because he didn't want Bruno to worry about him. He would manage somehow on his own. However, Bruno felt like a burden. He didn't like asking him for anything because he didn't want him to waste his money. Anything he liked, he fought the desire away and carried on no matter how much he wanted it. But, he couldn't fight away this desire anymore. He whined softly and teared up. He couldn't help but be afraid and think of every worst-case scenario. "D-Do you t-think we can get a cat plushie? I found one that I thought was adorable. I-I-" _

_ The older male gave a heavy smile. His heart was aching seeing this poor child like this but he thought it was cute that he was asking for something so innocent. Gently petting Bruno on the head, he replied, "It's fine. I just got extra money this time from work. I got a promotion, which means I get paid more. Come on, getting ready and we can get it for you." _

_ Once they got home from buying the plush, Bruno wouldn't even let go of the plush for anything. His entire demeanor seems to go through a cycle of two different moods. He would seem normal but then go immediately serious and cold. He went back and forth with him, speaking the names of Bruno and "Antinomy". He found him sitting on his mat with his cat plush and a few chapter books on the floor. While he was only 12 he was surprisingly reading books way beyond his age group level, hell, he could barely even read some of these books. They were just so advanced. _

_ "Antinomy! Don't be mean to her! She is trying her best!" _

_ "Bruno you should know that SHE can't speak or read. She is a stuffed animal. Stuffed animals cannot speak. Or read. Stuffed animals don't have brains therefore this is stupid and you're making a fool of yourself." _

_ "Look I'm just trying to do something new, alright?! I never did this when I was younger, could you please let me have this moment? I don't remember ever being able to play with things." _

_ "You're stupid, this is all stupid. This plushie is stupid, why did you waste money on such a ridiculous item?" _

_ This greatly confused Z-ONE, he never saw anyone enter their small place. Bruno didn't have any friends either so could he be talking to an imaginary friend? Wasn't he a bit too old for those? He could only watch in utter confusion as he seemed to argue with himself. The bluenette was about to fire some retort back when he stopped. He went silent and turned his attention to the cat plush in his hands. He expected Bruno to attack the plush or do something to it but instead saw him hugged the plushie close. "KITTY!" _

_ He grinned brightly and giggled. He laid on his back and raised the plushie into the air and beamed. "Kitty! I love my little kitty! Kitty! Kitty!" _

_ Starting there, "Johnny" was born. _

_ //// _

Antinomy gazed at the ceiling, his expression blank. Bruno didn't remember anything up until Z-ONE adopted them, but unlike him, he still remembered. He remembered everything. Or well, mostly everything. There were a couple of times where he wasn't able to be co-conscious with the person fronting so he didn't remember those times. But, he often was afraid. While he didn't show it, he was. Not of other people. Rather... Of himself. An alter. Almost everyone was afraid of Red. In one way or another, Bruno and the rest of them were terrified of him. He never allowed them to be co-conscious with him. If someone did manage, he would pick at them, breaking down all their fears. He often mimicked what he did with adults back at the facility but much worse and while he did it for self-defense, Red did it against them. He was always physically or emotionally hurting them when he was out. It was a miracle that he hasn't hurt them greatly yet or worse.

There were times where they would all be screaming at him, only to be forced back by him. It was difficult to fight him off. They would either have to wait till they were close enough to the front to swap and force him back or have an outside trigger pull them to the front. While it was rare to have Red front, it was awful when he did. 

He had been thinking of it as of late. He was worried that they would have to deal with him again soon. He could feel him gradually get closer and closer with each passing hour. Slowly inching forward. More so since they arrived here. While he wasn't very fond of the Kiryu, he didn't think he would be much of a threat. Not enough for Red to even be this close. He just had to see if they could keep him in check. None of them had the mental health or strength to put up with him. A long and exhausted sigh slipped from him as he forced himself to sit up. His head felt numb at the moment and he was seeing stars. A groan left him as he held his head. He probably sat up too fast. God, was he drained. Those meds do take a toll on them.

"Hey, dinner is almost ready in case you want to join us."

The other jumped at that and turned to face the other. Kiryu didn't seem very surprised by this reaction, if anything he was expecting it. Antinomy on the other hand was scared out of mind by that. He groaned softly and held his head. That sudden scare made Red MUCH closer than he wanted him to be. He was probably the second nearest to the front, after Johnny. "Fuck..."

He silently muttered. He took a breath and blinked a bit. Putting his hand down, he looked at the other. "Thanks for the news but I would rather you  **_ not _ ** __ sneak up on me like that."

This statement made Kiryu give an expression of indifference. "Whatever, we got food so I'm just telling you in case you get hungry or something. I'm going to herd the kids back here so we could eat. So either come or stay here and be edgy or whatever it is that you do."

Before Antinomy could bark back, the long-haired male turned around and left. He closed the door behind him as he did as well. The bluenette scoffed and bit his tongue in anger. How DARE he talk to him like that? Who did this guy think he was? He didn't go through anything. He hasn't suffered. He hasn't experienced agony and suffering. He wouldn't last a day where they used to be. He wouldn't last a day there. If anything HE was the edgy and depressed one. What did he know?

What he would give to have a few swings at him. He would rather not though, he didn't want to get in trouble with Yusei or Bruno. Bruno was a pacifist. He wasn't violent, even when others being made fun of him. He never did anything. But he was different. 

WHY CAN'T ANYBODY UNDERSTAND THAT?! 

He was made different on  ** purpose ** . To HELP Bruno stand up for himself, to protect him. To handle things he knew Bruno couldn't on his own. He had been with him through thick and thin and he wasn't going to stop now just because someone so happened to hate the way he was. But, he did have to take into account that he had to PASS as Bruno around people who didn't know about them. As much as he wanted to sucker punch the living daylights out of this guy, he couldn't. He had to abide by their code.

His stomach gave a rough flip. 

Ugh, food. 

Just the thought of eating made him want to vomit. He just couldn't. He couldn't keep any food down for the life of him. Bruno was the one that usually ate and while he was grateful that he did, he always prayed for him to stop eating food like its air. The second Bruno finished eating and they switched, he wasn't ever able to stop himself from going to retch out the food. He knew he was going to have to at least show-up with them though. Making his way out of the room, he walked to the living room to find Yusei already sitting there. He gave an exhausted wave. The front door was open, he guessed the Kiryu left it open. He sat down next to Yusei and crossed a leg over the other, crossing his arms over his chest. He gave a blank expression. "So, how are you and Kiryu getting along?"

This surprised Yusei. It wasn't everyday Antinomy talked to you out of his own free will. He could feel his cheeks heat up a bit. "It was nice to get to talk with him again. It's been so long since we last have nice moments like this."

A soft hum came from the bluenette. "That's nice I guess."

He looked down, gazing at the toys that littered the floor. He bit his lip and looked away immediately. It was difficult to sit in this room. Bruno loved dueling and there were cards on the table and floor and Johnny loved toys and there were toys on the floor. This was just TEMPTATION for either of them to jump in front. 'Just don't look over there. Don't look at any positive triggers.'

Loud laughter rang outside. "West! Hurry up! We gotta pick up our things so we can get some chocolate!"

"I bet I can get there before you can."

Both children rushed into the home and began to quickly pick up their things, setting the toys into a box to the side and the cards into a deck box. Once they put everything aside they looked at each other and huffed. Nico stuck her tongue out, West mimicking her in response. "I cleaned up faster than you!"

"No! I cleaned up faster!"

"No, I did!"

"I did!"

"No me!"

Antinomy couldn't help but give a small smile at this. They reminded him of Bruno and Johnny, they were like siblings at times. Often arguing over stupid things as well. While he did enjoy seeing them, he looked away and stared at a corner of the room and tried to drown them out. As much as he liked seeing Nico and West, they already seemed to mark themselves as positive triggers the second they appeared for Johnny. He would rather not have a 7-year-old randomly appear during dinner when everyone has the impression that he was to himself and serious. That wouldn't end well and Kiryu would probably think differently of him. He could already tell that the other wasn't a big fan of himself even though he never directly said it. His manner and body language said it all. 

"Alright, calm down you two. Come on and help me get everything ready."

He went into the kitchen and the two children followed after him. Both Antinomy and Kiryu were loathing this next part of their day. They had to eat. And what makes it worse? That they were eating in front of other people. People they weren't used to or comfortable around. It would be difficult for both parties. But out of trying to attempt to be "normal", they were going to have to force themselves to at least try. The three came back and set plates down. Yusei and Antinomy gave sincere thanks for the meal. Nico and West sat by each other, silently bickering to one another over something along the lines of playing with wild lizards from outside while eating their soup and bread. Yusei had also begun to eat leaving Kiryu and Antinomy only glaring at their bowls. Giving a scanty frown, Kiryu pick up his spoon and began to eat some soup. As for the spiky-haired bluenette, he didn't touch his spoon. He rather held the piece of bread and picked diminutive pieces of it off. They were pieces probably small than most pills. 'You can do this. Just small crumbs.'

He ate the small bits and shivered lightly. He hated this. Lightly nibbling on the bread now, he glared at the bread. It wasn't that bad, right? Why was he complaining? It was just something silly and childish to whine about. Or he was trying to convince himself anyways. The second he swallowed some bread, he could feel his body trying to force it back up. He didn't like this sensation. He wanted nothing more than to just leave and retch everything out again. But he COULDN'T. Not only because it wasn't something people shouldn't do, but because he needed to keep the body well and running. If Bruno had to sleep, he had to eat. He couldn't just be a hypocrite about it. He took a deep breath and calmed himself. 

He was going to regret this later. He began to take larger bites of the bread, trying to finish it at a decent pace. After finishing the bread, he began to move onto the soup. His mind was SCREAMING at him right now to get rid of what he just ate but he pushed it aside. His body seemed conflicted as to whether it should be content or not that he was eating. The sensation wasn't making anything any better. After a few spoonfuls of soup, he stopped. He couldn't make himself eat anymore. He turned his head to the side and put his hand over his mouth. He wasn't going to vomit. He wasn't going to vomit. He wasn't going to vomit. He was going to KEEP this in his system. 

As for Kiryu, he was doing fairly well on keeping his food down. He was halfway finished with his soup and he had eaten some bread. Setting his spoon down, he looked up at the others. Nico and West were almost finished with their soup, Yusei taking his time, and...

He gave a small frown. Of course, this edgy walking blueberry wasn't going to eat much. It was a miracle that he didn't bluntly say out loud he wasn't going to eat because it was "poisoned" or something. While he knew that wouldn't have happened, or not in front of the other anyways, he still expected some kind of protest from the other. A small huff escaped him. And they said  ** he  ** had to eat and this guy barely even touched his soup. Talk about selective bitching. Only annoying him but CLEARLY, this guy needed to eat more than he did but they weren't saying anything. Utter bullshit. Complete and utter bullshit was all he was going to say about this. Maybe he just didn't like how the food tasted. That would be understandable since he wasn't Gorden Ramsey himself but still, he could have at least PRETENDED to have liked the food and eat at least half of it. He has feelings too you know.

Well, now that he thought of it, he didn't want or care for the other's snotty opinion. He was probably a rich kid and had a "REFINED" flavor profile or some shit. Like Jack or something. This made him bit his tongue. Was he really dissing off his food because it's peasant food and not something expensive or fancy? That's a load of crap. Well, he is looking and acting the part so he there's his gold stars. 'Maybe I should tell him I will give him some gold star stickers if he finishes his food. That's what parents do to bribe their spoiled kids right?'

"So what's your life like Bruno? You never told me much about yourself and Yusei doesn't seem to know much either. Enlighten us will ya?"

And there was another reason for Antinomy to strangle Kiryu in his sleep. This was going to be a LONG stay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bruno and his alters roles.
> 
> Antinomy | Protector | M | 25 | Red | Persecutor | M | ? |
> 
> Johnny | Little/Child | M | 7 Timothy | Gatekeeper | Protector | M | 27
> 
> Bruno | Host | M | 21


End file.
